USB Hub Storage Unit in Floppies!
Have you all wish to have one portal storage unit which is very light, has atleast 8 GB storage, you don't need to care if falls down, you can have it everywhere and you can carry actually all the OS with some Office applications and all these applications running from just some UBS sticks? If the answer is yes then folllow me in this instructable and you will make it to have it.
So the idea is to carry some GB's with you every where you move and just plug it toa any available computer in Internet cafe, in restaurant, in a travel ride, and more. You may ask why trying have something like special now where the prices of External Disks are falling down and you can carry some TerraBytes just for what? 100$. OK but these TB units have some problems. They cost far more than my unit, you must care them if fall or if the power fall etc. My Unit offers: Stability, low price, less care, multible OS booting, portability, not external AC power needed, less space.
OK we agreed now let's go to build it.
It tooks some time to find out a case to carry it. And when my wife gaves me her floopy disk to format it my then i find out the solution. Its ecological accepted and you can reuse our bunches of old floppies.
So the idea is to carry some GB's with you every where you move and just plug it toa any available computer in Internet cafe, in restaurant, in a travel ride, and more. You may ask why trying have something like special now where the prices of External Disks are falling down and you can carry some TerraBytes just for what? 100$. OK but these TB units have some problems. They cost far more than my unit, you must care them if fall or if the power fall etc. My Unit offers: Stability, low price, less care, multible OS booting, portability, not external AC power needed, less space.
OK we agreed now let's go to build it.
It tooks some time to find out a case to carry it. And when my wife gaves me her floopy disk to format it my then i find out the solution. Its ecological accepted and you can reuse our bunches of old floppies.
Preparing the Floppies
We take 2 well conditioned floppies. I recommend to use 2 different colours of floppies lets say one red and one yellow.
we choose which one goes up and which is going down.
We try with a flat screedriver to open the case of each floppy to remove the magnetic disk of inside them. try to pull them out with out to open it so much to prevent the damage of the mettalic part and loose of the small spring in the door of the floppy. Why we do this? Because we will use a big screew to bind the all unit and we dont need any magnetic contact to any contact with the hub's circuit. But because we need preserve the floppy we do the following step which is:
we choose which one goes up and which is going down.
We try with a flat screedriver to open the case of each floppy to remove the magnetic disk of inside them. try to pull them out with out to open it so much to prevent the damage of the mettalic part and loose of the small spring in the door of the floppy. Why we do this? Because we will use a big screew to bind the all unit and we dont need any magnetic contact to any contact with the hub's circuit. But because we need preserve the floppy we do the following step which is:
Salvation of Floppy
Yes exactly! After we took appart the magnetic disk we will cut a part of it in the right postion so the floppy looks reallistic. Cut a small part of the magnetic disk and glue it in the ftont part of the floppy disk. . When you done close the disk and use some glue and pressure to fix it like it was before.... Done? nice.....Piece of cake! Please follow this step in both floppies. After that is done following the step of :
Nake the HUB ;)
Yeah! nake it babe!!!....These small hubs are providing four exits. Some of them are also can be supported by 9V adaptor but even the socket exist and works the trasformer is not included in the package, but they are cheap arround 3 - 4 US $. The hub i use here is gained as adverisment gift but you can buy like 10-12 US $
So, now we nake the have from the upper cover. We will use only the under cover. We do that because we want the unit be tight enough, and the availbe space have to be just for 4 usb sticks. Later i will also show you what type of usb sticks is recommended for this job.
Now its time for need some soldering. The following step explains how to:
So, now we nake the have from the upper cover. We will use only the under cover. We do that because we want the unit be tight enough, and the availbe space have to be just for 4 usb sticks. Later i will also show you what type of usb sticks is recommended for this job.
Now its time for need some soldering. The following step explains how to:
Add a LED in the HUB
OK this step is optional. But with the LED is more beautiful and also you can see it in the dark.
These mini HUBS usually have a small green LED . But the problem is that this LED will not be seen after we will place the floopy. So now we choose the color of led Red is more Alert, Green is more adabted in the enviromment special if we work in a drak room. The polarity for those they dont know goes like + is the longer foot of the LED.
Now very carefully by assisting of a solder pump we take appart the all the solder of the HUB's LED and carefully we remove it. You must very carefull because the circuit in that point is very small and fragile and we don't need any breake of the PCB.
Now place the new LED, The + is indicated in the circuit so dont warry about it. The highest point of the LED it must be 2,5cm, not more.
When you done also now place the HUB in the bottom cover and then in the bottom disk and. find out a 2,5cm screw of diameter 2mm. Also a nut of the same diameter. Now your work looks like the image bellow.
Follow us in the next and last step
These mini HUBS usually have a small green LED . But the problem is that this LED will not be seen after we will place the floopy. So now we choose the color of led Red is more Alert, Green is more adabted in the enviromment special if we work in a drak room. The polarity for those they dont know goes like + is the longer foot of the LED.
Now very carefully by assisting of a solder pump we take appart the all the solder of the HUB's LED and carefully we remove it. You must very carefull because the circuit in that point is very small and fragile and we don't need any breake of the PCB.
Now place the new LED, The + is indicated in the circuit so dont warry about it. The highest point of the LED it must be 2,5cm, not more.
When you done also now place the HUB in the bottom cover and then in the bottom disk and. find out a 2,5cm screw of diameter 2mm. Also a nut of the same diameter. Now your work looks like the image bellow.
Follow us in the next and last step
Finishing the Work
Ok you the screw and the nut, now take the other floppy and make a hall with the iron solder in the disk. Put the screw and pass it all the way down to the bottom floppy. Try not to hit any cable. Ok now screw the nut and tight it .
Now glue if you have availble 4 rubber taps for more stability. I had just 2 and i cut them in half. the high is about 0,5cm.
Almost finihed. For more support special when the HUB is empty frm USB sticks, glue 2 wooded or plastic pieces at the bottom edges of the floppies
Your work is done....
Some Notices.....
Of course you may use in any way this portable unit. I highly recommend to use it wisely. A nice idea is to use the portable apps http://portableapps.com. Also you can put some OS for vary booting in the instructables.com you will find some ideas also. Some security appls.
Thank you all verry much for reading this instructable. I hope to find it helpful.
Sorry if the fotos are small resolution, are taken from my mobile phone.
The BMP drawings are now available!!!
ENJOY SUMMER i go for fishing!
Now glue if you have availble 4 rubber taps for more stability. I had just 2 and i cut them in half. the high is about 0,5cm.
Almost finihed. For more support special when the HUB is empty frm USB sticks, glue 2 wooded or plastic pieces at the bottom edges of the floppies
Your work is done....
Some Notices.....
Of course you may use in any way this portable unit. I highly recommend to use it wisely. A nice idea is to use the portable apps http://portableapps.com. Also you can put some OS for vary booting in the instructables.com you will find some ideas also. Some security appls.
Thank you all verry much for reading this instructable. I hope to find it helpful.
Sorry if the fotos are small resolution, are taken from my mobile phone.
The BMP drawings are now available!!!
ENJOY SUMMER i go for fishing!